Tipplers for turning over beer kegs and like containers



United States Patent [72) inventor Maurice Ruddlck Strood, Rochester,England [211 App]. No. 795,987 [22] Filed Feb. 3, 1969 [45] PatentedOct. 27, 1970 [73] Assignee Burnett 8r Rolfe Limited Strood, Rochester,Kent, England a British Company [32] Priority Feb. 16, 1968 [33] GreatBritain [31] 7,792/68 [54] TIPPLERS FOR TURNING OVER BEER KEGS AND LIKECONTAINERS 4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl. 214/1, 198/33 [51] Int. Cl. B653 7/00 [50] Field olSearch..214/1(R),1, 1(R)7, 1(RA), 130; l98/33(R)4 [56] References Cited UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 1,390,853 9/1921 Worth .1 ..2I4/l(RA)UX 2,369,742 2/1945Rlaiber et al. 2 l4/l(R)UX 2,723,792 11/1955 Wetzel 2|4/1(R)UX 3,306,4722/1967 Blanz 2 14/1 (PZ)UX Primary Examiner-Gerald M. Forlenza AssistantExaminerFrank E. Werner Attorney-Holcombe, Wethen'll and BriseboisABSTRACT: A tippler for turning over metal beer kegs or like containershas two platforms mounted one on each of two separate carriers which arepivotally mounted about a common axis so that one platform can rock froma lower horizontal position on one side of the tippler with its carrierextending upwards from it to a raised position with the carrier rockedjust past a horizontal position and the other platform can rock from alower horizontal position on the opposite side of the tippler with itscarrier extending upwards from it to a raised position in which itscarrier is able to receive a container from the carrier of the firstplatform when the first platform is in its raised position. Both thecarriers and the platforms are rocked by pneumatic rams in such a waythat initially both platforms are in their horizontal lower positionsand then when a container has been moved onto the first platform at theintake side of the tippler, both platforms are raised and when thecarrier of the first platform moves past a horizontal position thecontainer moves off it and on to the other carrier and platform. Afterthis both platforms are returned to their horizontal lower positionswith the container on the second platform from which it is discharged atthe same time as the first platform is ready to receive a furthercontainer.

Patented Oct. 27, 1970 Sheet 1 Patented oat; 27, 1970 Sheet Z of 2TIPPLERS FOR TURNING OVER BEER KEGS AND'LIKE CONTAINERS In the course ofthe mechanical handling of metal beer kegs or like containers it iscommonly necessary to turn the containers over because, .for example,washing of the containers is commonly carried out with the containersinverted, that is with their bung holes or other openings lowermost andfilling of the containers is subsequently carried out with the bungholes or other openings at the top.

One form of tippler for turning over such containers comprises a carrierwhich is mounted so that itcan pivot about a horizontal axis and has aplatform at each end. A container to be turned over is moved into thetippler so that one end of the container rests on one platform when thisplatform is horizontal and at the bottom of the carrier, and the carrieris then rotated about its pivotal axis to bring the other platform intoa horizontal position below the first platform. In doing this, thecontainer is turned over so that it rests on its other end on the otherplatform and it is then moved out of the tippler.

Such tipplers, an example of which is described in my prior U.S. Pat.No. 3,433,371 can be constructed quite simply, but they suffer from thedisadvantage that when one container has been turned over, the carriermust be rotated back again to bring the first platform back into itsinitial horizontal position before a further container can be fed intothe tippler. The return movement of the carrier cannot take place untilthe previous container is clear of the tippler and therefore the rate atwhich the tippler can handle containers is severely restricted.

More rapid operation can be achieved by a tippler in which two platformsproject in opposite directions from each end of the carrier so that whenthe carrier is turned over so that a container on the platform on oneside of the carrier is turned over onto the other platform on the sameside of the carrier, a platform on the other side of the carrier is atthe same time brought into a position to receive a further container.Upon the next rotation of the carrier, the original platform is broughtback into its initial position as the previous container is turned over.With this form of tippler, however, it is necessary for the carrier tobe mounted so that it can rotate round and round in the same directionin steps of 180 whereas with the simpler form of tippler with only twoplatforms, the carrier 4 can be arranged, as described in my prior U.S.Pat. No. 3,433,371, to rock backwards and forwards through an angle ofsomewhat less than 180. The arrangement in which there are fourplatforms and the carrier is fully rotatable is very much more complexand more expensive than an arrangement in which the carrier only has torock backwards and forwards.

The aim of the present invention is to provide a tippler in which themechanism only has to rock platforms backwards and forwards and yetwhich is able to receive a container, turn it over and then return to aposition in which a further container can be received before thepreceding container is discharged from the tippler so that the tipplercan handle containers at a high rate.

To this end, according to this invention, a tippler has two platformsmounted one on each of two separate carriers which are pivotally mountedso that one platform can rock from a lower horizontal position on oneside of the tippler with its carrier extending upwards from it to araised position with the carrier rocked just past a horizontal positionand the other platform can rock from a lower horizontal position on theopposite side of the tippler with its carrier extending upwards from itto a raised position in which its carrier is able to receive a containerfrom the carrier of the first platform when the first platform is in itsraised position, the arrangement being that both carriers and platformsare rocked by driving mechanisms in such a way that initially bothplatforms are in their horizontal lower positions and then when acontainer has been moved onto the first platform at the intake side ofthe tippler, both platforms are raised and when the carrier of the firstplatform moves past a horizontal position the container moves off it andonto the other carrier and platform, after which both platforms arereturned to their horizontal lower positions with the container on thesecond platform from which it is discharged at the same time as thefirst platform is ready to receive a further container.

It will be seen that with this arrangement the first platform returns toa position ready to receive a further container as the turning over ofthe container is completed by the second platform and the container isbeing discharged. The tippler can therefore operate with a very muchmore rapid cycle than was possible with the previous form of tipplerwith a single carrier which had to return to an initial position afterthe discharge of a container before the tippler was able to receive afurther container.

Nevertheless in spite of this rapid operation, the two separate carriersonly have to rock to-and-fro through angles of at the most a little morethan a right angle and therefore the mechanisms for moving them'can beextremely simple.

Perfectly the included angle between each carrier and its platform issomewhat greater than a right angle, for example 1 10. Thus when the twoplatforms are horizontal the carriers extend upwards from then at anglesof 70 to the horizontal. The carrier of the first platform, that is theplatform at the intake side of the tippler preferably rocks into aposition which is 20 past horizontal and it is thus necessary for thecarrier to rock through an angle of The carrier of the other platformpreferably rocks into a position in which it lies in the same plane asthe carrier of the first platform so that the container is able to slidestraight from one carrier to the other and the second carrier thereforeonly needs to rock into a position 20 less than horizontal. That is tosay, the second carrier needs to rock through only 50.

Preferably both the carriers rock about a common central horizontal axisalthough they may be arranged to rock about parallel axes arrangedclosely side-by-side.

Both the carriers may be rocked by mechanisms driven by the same sourceof power, which is preferably a pneumatic or hydraulic ram, but thesemechanisms are then somewhat complex and the exact relationships betweenthe movements of the two carriers cannot be altered. Preferablytherefore each carrier is rocked by a separate pneumatic or hydraulicram which is directly connected between a stationary support and thecarrier. The ram connected to the carrier of the first platform, that isthe platform at the intake side of the tippler rocks this carrierupwards through 90 in the same time as the second ram rocks the othercarrier upwards through 50. The ram which rocks the carrier of the firstplatform is preferably arranged so that it makes a quick return movementat a greater velocity than its upward movement. Thus the platform andcarrier move upwards carrying a container quite slowly and then when thecontainer has been moved onto the other carrier and platform, the firstcarrier and platform make a rapid return movement through 90 to returnthe platform to a horizontal position to receive a further containerduring the time that the second carrier and platform make a downwardrocking movement through only 50 ready for the container which theycarry to be discharged. 7

An example of a tippler in accordance with the present invention isillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the tippler with parts broken away toillustrate more detail;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view of the tippler in its initial operativeposition;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the tippler as shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to that of FIG. 2 but showing the tippler in aposition during the tipping of a container; and,

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but showing the tippler in a moreadvanced position.

The tippler shown in FIG. 1 is incorporated into a mechanical handlingsystem for containers such as metal beer kegs, the system having acontinuously moving chain conveyor 1 for carrying containers to and fromthe tippler.

The tippler is mounted on a support 2 comprising two parallelrectangular frames 3 and 4' connected by cross members which are notshown. The support 2 stands on four legs 5, of

which twoare shown in FIG. 1. Fixed on-oppo site sides of the frames, 3and 4 are :two upwardly extending stanchions 6 to the direction oftravel of the conveyor 1. v

A channel member 8 is pivotally mounted on one side of the shaft 7by'meansof two plates 9 and 10 which are welded to,

theoutsides of the channel member 8 andwhich carry bearing H bushesmounting them on the shaft 7.- Fixed to the free edges,

of the channel memberw8'an'd extending outwards and forwards are twoplatelike arms 11 and 12. These arms together with the channel member8forma carrier 13 for containers which are fedto the tippler by theconveyor 1. Welded to the. bottom of the channel member 8 are two prongs14 and 15 6 together defining a platform, l6 which extends at an angleof 110 from the channel member 8. In the rest position of the tipplerthe platform 16 lies horizontal and parallel to the tops of the frames 3and 4. I

Pivotally mounted on the shaft 7 on the opposite side to the channelmember 8 is a similar channel member 17. This member 17 is mounted onthe shaft 7 by means of a pair of lugs 18 and 19 which carry bearingbushings (not shown). The

channel member 17 together with arms 20 and 21 forms a carrier 22similar to the carrier 13. Also, welded to the bottom of the channelmember 17 is a platform 23 formed by two prongs 24 and 25 which extendat an angle of l 10 from the channel member 17. When the tippler is atrest, the platform 23 also 5 lies horizontal. v

A- horizontal table 26 is fixed between the stanchions, 6 and the frames3 and 4 and carries brackets 27 and 28 on which, i

rier 13 returns to its initial positionempty and the carrier 22 returnsto its initial position with the container which is thus turned throughl80 As the platform 23 returns to its horizontal position, the container40 resting on this platform engagesand depresses thelever 37 and thusactuates the switch 39; This indicates that the turn overoperation hasbeen completed. The conveyor 1 then removes the container 40 from'thetipplerso that the tippler is then freeto turn over the succeedingcontainer which by then has entered the carrier 13. To ensure that thetippler is not operatedagain until the container 40 is clear of the freeend of the platform 23, the rams 29 and 30 are prevented; from beingactuated until a switch 41 is actuated by a trip lever 42 which isplaced strategically in the path of the container 40.

Since the conveyor 1 is continuously moving, it is possible that asucceeding container 40 may be carried to the tippler while the platform16 is in the position shown in FIG. 5, thus preventing the platform 16from returning to its initial horizontal position. Therefore, in orderito prevent this from happening a pair of circular arcuate members 43(only one being shown in the drawing) extend downwards from the freeends of the prongs l4 and 15 of the first platform 16 around an arewhich is centered on the axis of the shaft 7. The free ends of thearcuate members 43 are braced by, struts 44 joining them to the junctionof the prongs-l4 and 15 with the base of the channel member. 8. Thus,when a container moves onto the platform. 16, and the carrier 13 andplatform 16 are pivoted about the shaft 7 the arcuate members 43 followaround the path of the free end of the platform 16 and project downwardsinto the path of succeeding. containers along the conveyor 1. Anyfurther container thus comes up against the arcuate members 43 and isprevented, from being moved further towards the tippler. so that theconveyor 1 just slips under. it. When the container in the tippler hasslid from the carrier 13 to the carrier 22, the platform: 16 and thecarrier 13 ried by the prongs 24 and 25' of the platform 23. In therestposition of the tippler, the piston rods of the pneumatic rams 29 and 30are fully retracted and the platforms 16 and 23 are horizontal.

. 'A trip lever 34 is pivotally mounted about a rod 35 extending betweenthe frames 3 and 4, and extends upwards between the prongs 14 and .15 ofthe platform 16 into the space I bounded by the carrier 13. When rockedbackwards, this lever 34 actuates a switch 36which indicates that acontainer has entered the carrier 13. Similarly, a lever 37 which ispivotally mounted on a rod 38 extending between the frames 3 and 4extends upwards between the prongs 24 and 25 of the platform 23 into,the space bounded by the carrier 22. When rocked downwards, this lever37 actuates a switch 39 to inso that their piston rods are extended topivot the carriers 13 and 22 about the shaft 7. The carrier 13 ispivoted in an anstart to rock back aboutthe shaft 7 to their restpositions and the arcuate members 43, because they extend around an arcAs soonas the platform 16 reaches its horizontal position, the arcuatemembers 43 are free of the waiting container and the conveyor 1 at oncemoves this container forwards onto the platform 16. p p It has beenfound with this arrangement that a cycle time for receiving a containerin the tippler, turning it over and the first pneumatic rams 29 and30are then simultaneously actuated .ticlockwise direction, the platform 16engaging 'the bottom of the container 40andlifting it with the carrieras it pivots (see,

direction. When the piston rods of the rams 25 and 30 are fullyextended, the carrier, 13 has pivoted through 90 so that it has moved 20past the horizontal, and the carrier 22 has pivoted through 50 so thatthe channel members 8 and 17 of the carriersl3 and 22 respectively liein the same plane, as shown in FIG. 5. In this position the .container40 moves from the carrier 13 into the carrier 22land onto the platform23. The piston rods of the rams 29and30 are then retracted so asto'return the carriers 13 and 22 and their associated platforms .16 and23 to their initial positions, the ram 29 being arranged so that thecarrier 13 and platform 16 are returned at a greater velocity than thatat which they are moved upwards. The carplatform turning ready toreceive a further container, of as little as 7 seconds can be achieved.

lclaim: I

1. A tippler for turning over metal kegs and like containers, saidtippler comprising a stationary support, first and second carriers,means pivotally mounting said=carriers on said support for turningmovement about a common horizontal axis, first and second containerplatforms, means fixing said first and second platforms to said firstand second carriers respecpositions to said horizontal positions, saidfirst ram including quick return means and adapted to turn said firstcarrier in a direction to lower said first platform at a greatervelocity than said first carrier is turned to raise said first platformfrom said lower position to said raised position, both said carriers andsaid platforms being turned by said rams in such'a way that initiallyboth said platforms are in said lower horizontal positions and then whena container has been moved onto said first platform at one side of saidtippler, both said platforms areraised and when said first carrier movespast ;a horizontal position said container moves therefrom onto saidsecond carrier and said second platform, after which both said platformsare returned to said horizontal positions with said second container onsaid second platform at the other side of said tippler remote from saidone side, said first carrier and said first platform being moved morequickly by said first ram under the control of said quick return meansthan said second carrier and said second platform whereby said firstplatform is ready to receive a further container at the same time assaid container is ready for discharge from said second platform.

2. A tippler as claimed in claim 1, wherein said included angle is about3. A tippler as claimed in claim 2, wherein said drive means is arrangedto rock said first carrier into a position in which it is substantially20 past horizontal when said first platform is in its raised position.

4. A tippler as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a cir-'

